Progressive pan-colonic fibrosis secondary to oral administration of pancreatic enzymes.

Most patients with cystic fibrosis require oral administration of pancreatic enzymes to treat pancreatic insufficiency. Recent use of higher-strength enzyme preparations in large doses has been found to be associated with fibrotic strictures of the colon. We report a case of pancolonic fibrosis due to pancreatic enzyme use.

Successful management of ruptured choledochal cyst by primary cyst excision and biliary reconstruction.

One to two percent of patients who have choledochal cysts present with cyst rupture and bile peritonitis. Reported cases have been managed with external drainage of the cyst followed by a second procedure to excise the cyst and reconstruct the biliary tract. The authors report two cases of ruptured choledochal cyst treated with primary cyst excision and biliary drainage.

Microgastria as an isolated anomaly.

The authors report the case of an 8-year-old boy who had isolated microgastria. The patient had required lifelong jejunal tube feeding because of inadequate gastric volume and intractable gastroesophageal reflux. Gastric augmentation was performed with a Roux-en-Y jejunal reservoir (Hunt-Lawrence pouch), with good results.

Developmental susceptibility to intestinal injury by platelet-activating factor in the newborn rat.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is an important endogenous mediator of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Injection of PAF into weanling and adult rats causes ischemic bowel necrosis that is morphologically similar to NEC. The purpose of this study was to adapt the PAF model of intestinal injury to the suckling rat and to attempt to alter susceptibility to PAF-induced bowel necrosis by early weaning and formula feeds.